Parking attendants will soon be on patrol downtown.
During a Wednesday morning interview on the WEBR 1440 AM radio show “Viewpoint” hosted by Tom Darro, Mayor Robert Restaino said the new part-time attendants should be on the job starting in May.
Restaino said the attendants’ primary function will be to enforce parking rules and ensure compliance with the city’s paid parking system downtown. In addition, he said, attendants will be available to help residents and tourists in need of information, such as directions to area attractions.
“It’s as much about generating revenue as it is about getting direction and order in the downtown area,” he said.
Fees from parking represent roughly 5% of the city’s annual general fund revenue and Restaino said it is hoped that stepped-up enforcement may help to maximize the city’s returns in that area. He said the plan has been in discussion since 2023 and that Niagara Falls Police Department, which will oversee the attendants, is now in the process of finalizing interviews for the available positions.
For now, the program will be limited to downtown. Restaino said he anticipates the plan will be tweaked after the first year and that expansion is a possibility in the future.
“The idea is with some minor investment we might be able to appreciate some additional, significant revenue,” he said.